My gorgeous and wonderful Granny celebrated her one hundredth birthday in October.
The family gathered for a lovely morning tea in her beautiful garden.
As part of the celebrations, I wanted to create something unique and special for her, and I decided on a box.
It was probably the most challenging piece I’ve ever worked on!
I love you, dearest Greatie, you are the best, most inspirational grandmother I could ask for, and I feel very lucky to have you!
Lovely Laura wondered if I would be able to create a similar piece to a costume ring which she and her friend both loved, as it was made in a plated base metal which had deteriorated.
It was a mercy dash to the finish line, as the ring was needed for a special birthday right away!
Although it’s not identical (the original would have been cast in a factory mould), I think it turned out ok – and I believe the birthday girl was very happy too!
Thanks Laura!
Occasionally I do stop long enough to make myself something! I confess it was over a year ago that I made this ring, and it’s taken me this long to post it.
As you can tell from its well worn appearance, I wear it all the time!
A lovely dad, George, was asked by his daughter to have me create this custom made pearl and sterling silver ring for her birthday.
I was very glad to help! Simple and stunning.
Bandar admired this serpentine ring in my shop, and wondered if I could resize it for him.
I wasn’t able to, but luckily I had another cabochon the same in my gemstone collection, so I created him the same ring but in his size.
The ring is now happily in Saudi Arabia with its new owner!
Matthew was looking for a gift for his wife, and he got in touch to see if I could create a bangle similar to this one, but with some gemstones included.
He got their small daughter to choose the gemstones from my collection. She picked garnet and lapis lazuli.
I hope this thoughtful present was well received!
Natasha contacted me after she saw my work on FaceBook, to ask if I could make her partner a ring.
After some lovely email chat, I sourced a stone for her partner, and Natasha asked if I could also turn the piece of charoite I had in my gemstone collection into a ring for her mum.
I’m so pleased with the way this turned out; I think it’s gorgeous, and Natasha and her mum do too. I’m working on Natasha’s next ring now. I love my job!
You might recall this fabulous olive green titanium coated drusy ring I created – I made this divine pendant for the same lovely client.
I was able to make this pendant in the same style as an existing pendant that she loved.
This chrysocolla comes from Morenci, Arizona, in the USA. Isn’t it gorgeous!
It’s always a joy to see other people’s creative techniques. I have written before here and here about the process of silversmithing, and I thought you might like another little insight into this world.
First, the drusy gemstone (from my never-ending collection!) and a rough design sketch. I’ve already created the bezel (the metal that wraps around the stone) in this picture, bending a straight strip of metal (like the one pictured) around the stone.
The next step is preparing the backing plate. He’s some sawing and filing in action.
After filing, comes emerying.
And laying out the component parts to see how it will look. The balls of silver are made by heating some little pieces of silver until they melt – the molten silver naturally gathers up into a sphere. It’s fun stuff!
I emery the back of the bezel flat, so that the join between the two pieces of metal will be exact and the solder will flow correctly.
Then it’s time for a bit of heat.
I love how from this dirty blackened thing comes an object of beauty!
Into a solution of sulphuric acid to remove all the oxidization etc.
While the piece is pickling, I create the bail (the part from which the pendant will hang), and a little plate stamped with my maker’s mark and ‘925’ to show the piece is made from sterling silver.
Those are soldered onto the piece, then it’s back in the pickle and after that, a rinse off.
After a good clean-up, with lots of emerying down to a fine grade, I mount the piece on a wax dop so that i can set the stone.
My engraving ball comes in super-handy here!
Some time with my chasing hammer, and the stone is set.
And finally, the finished piece!
If you like this pendant, you can see more of it here in my shop.
After seeing the twins pendant I created for my gorgeous sister, Leslie got in touch with me to ask if I could create a small version for her. She wanted to surprise her twin sister for their 70th birthday!
I was very happy to help. It really is quite tiny!
Thanks, Leslie, and happy birthday to you and your twin!